The Heinlein Centennial {Long Version}
What was different about the Heinlein Centennial? The panelists took their participation pretty seriously. There were hardly any participants who were late or absent. Those I spoke to were full of praise for their audiences. They were gratified that the panels were packed with eager listeners. I heard that the depth of questions and comments even put many academic conferences to shame.
Someone remarked that he thought the Centennial would not be a good place for a one-on-one with the participants. It's too bad he missed the chance to find out otherwise. Dr. Yoji Kondo, astrophysicist and editor of the Heinlein memorial volume Requiem, had a panel that was so lightly attended that when the timekeeper went to check the room, Dr. Kondo and his audience were seated together having a discussion for the length of the panel.
Another panel did have absent panelists -- so someone took the moderator role and the audience turned it into a group discussion about a topic they were interested in. I heard from a friend that it was wonderfully satisfying.
I have belonged to KaCSFFS for 25 years. We have, as a basis for association, a love of science fiction, fantasy, and other genre fiction in a broad area -- plus interests in television, video, music, and a number of other things. We see each other often, and for activities other than club meetings. In a lot of ways, our familiarity with each other has smoothed over our passion for the hobby itself.
The Centennial renewed that passion in a lot of people. Imagine being in a cluster of 750 people who have all read the same 42 books. Heinlein discussions broke out everywhere. We'd meet for something, and the next thing you know we'd be arguing about books. Discussions in the halls. At meals. Wherever we were. Standing in line was no pain at all -- the people around you were likely to be ready to talk.
KaCSFFS has acquired some new members because of the Centennial. Someone online mentioned that he was very entertained by the sign that said "Join the club that Robert Heinlein joined!" -- because Heinlein insisted on paying for a membership in KaCSFFS. I want to keep those members -- I want us to re-find the spirit that the Centennial brought out in so many people -- the idea that the future is waiting, that we can escape the planet and find other homes than this one, that there is a future, and we can get there.
Many KaCSFFS members helped put on one exceptional convention. I have not seen its like except during some of the more social of Jim Gunn's Intensive English Institutes. As his students used to say, no one warned them that there was a real emphasis on "Intensive". And no one, coming into The Heinlein Centennial, expected it to be anything like what it turned out to be.
Tim Kyger, Bill Patterson, Jim Gifford, Peter Scott, Alan Koslow -- the original Cell B -- dreamed that we could celebrate.
Keith Kato, Barbara Trumpinski-Roberts, and I pretty much made up Cell C. You know it's true -- I signed many communications with my party name, Centennial Catherder. It was very intense, indeed. It was one of the best things we've done.
Someone remarked that he thought the Centennial would not be a good place for a one-on-one with the participants. It's too bad he missed the chance to find out otherwise. Dr. Yoji Kondo, astrophysicist and editor of the Heinlein memorial volume Requiem, had a panel that was so lightly attended that when the timekeeper went to check the room, Dr. Kondo and his audience were seated together having a discussion for the length of the panel.
Another panel did have absent panelists -- so someone took the moderator role and the audience turned it into a group discussion about a topic they were interested in. I heard from a friend that it was wonderfully satisfying.
I have belonged to KaCSFFS for 25 years. We have, as a basis for association, a love of science fiction, fantasy, and other genre fiction in a broad area -- plus interests in television, video, music, and a number of other things. We see each other often, and for activities other than club meetings. In a lot of ways, our familiarity with each other has smoothed over our passion for the hobby itself.
The Centennial renewed that passion in a lot of people. Imagine being in a cluster of 750 people who have all read the same 42 books. Heinlein discussions broke out everywhere. We'd meet for something, and the next thing you know we'd be arguing about books. Discussions in the halls. At meals. Wherever we were. Standing in line was no pain at all -- the people around you were likely to be ready to talk.
KaCSFFS has acquired some new members because of the Centennial. Someone online mentioned that he was very entertained by the sign that said "Join the club that Robert Heinlein joined!" -- because Heinlein insisted on paying for a membership in KaCSFFS. I want to keep those members -- I want us to re-find the spirit that the Centennial brought out in so many people -- the idea that the future is waiting, that we can escape the planet and find other homes than this one, that there is a future, and we can get there.
Many KaCSFFS members helped put on one exceptional convention. I have not seen its like except during some of the more social of Jim Gunn's Intensive English Institutes. As his students used to say, no one warned them that there was a real emphasis on "Intensive". And no one, coming into The Heinlein Centennial, expected it to be anything like what it turned out to be.
Tim Kyger, Bill Patterson, Jim Gifford, Peter Scott, Alan Koslow -- the original Cell B -- dreamed that we could celebrate.
Keith Kato, Barbara Trumpinski-Roberts, and I pretty much made up Cell C. You know it's true -- I signed many communications with my party name, Centennial Catherder. It was very intense, indeed. It was one of the best things we've done.